ETFO Kawartha Pine Ridge locals to stage one-day strike on Friday December 14

TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2012 /CNW/ - ETFO Kawartha Pine Ridge teachers and occasional teachers will stage a one-day strike this Friday December 14^th to send the government a message that Bill 115 is severely impeding local collective bargaining.

"There are two solutions to the chaos that the minister of education has created," said Sam Hammond, President of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario. "Along with repealing Bill 115, the minister needs to step aside and give school boards and ETFO locals the latitude to have concrete and respectful discussions with all options on the table, in order to reach collective agreements."

"Bill 115 has set such rigid parameters that we are having to take a pause to send the minister a message that her approach is not working," said Dave Wing, President of the Kawartha Pine Ridge Teacher Local. "My members don't take this action lightly but it's a necessary step in trying to find a resolution."

"As stressful as this is for everyone, the minister can't strip my members of their democratic rights and expect that it is going to be business as usual," added Marsha Jones, President of the Kawartha Pine Ridge Occasional Teacher Local.

Both locals moved into a legal strike position on November 26, 2012. They received no board reports through the conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour to resolve their bargaining impasse with Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.  During a vote on September 6, 2012, the locals received overwhelming mandates for strike action from their members. 

Fast Facts:

ETFO is the professional and protective organization representing over 76,000 teachers, occasional teachers, and education professionals employed in the public elementary schools of Ontario.

ETFO Kawartha Pine Ridge Teacher Local represents 1,340 elementary teachers employed by Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. The Kawartha Pine Ridge Occasional Teacher Local represents 510 Occasional Teachers.

Collective agreements for all ETFO locals expired on August 31, 2012.  Since then, ETFO members have been working without collective agreements in place.   

SOURCE: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario

Dave Wing, Kawartha Pine Ridge Teacher Local President, 1-800-340-3781, [email protected]
Marsha Jones, Kawartha Pine Ridge Occasional Teacher Local President, 705-743-7364, [email protected]